Hi all. Paris? What a wonderful place, right? A dream destination for most of the people all around the world. A very famous place for food, fashion, cars, education, job and most importantly the lifestyle of the French people. It seemed like the most perfect place for me as well, until I actually went there and had a horrible theft experience. I agree that theft is not something that happens at just one country or a specific place. But the way it happened was terrific and shocking. 

We went to Paris during 2018. It was actually me who literally put Paris in our plan. We were at a tram station to catch a tram to Champs Elysees. There were hardly ten to twelve people at the station. And when the tram came, opened the doors and we start getting inside, a sudden rush came in pushing us into the train (as a distraction). As we got in, my father checked his back pocket for his purse. But guess what, the purse was gone!

He started asking for the purse to the people who stood near. No one knew anything about the purse. Just then, my father noticed a man holding something covering it under his jacket. My father asked that man about this, but he was hesitant to even open his jacket and show, because of which my father had to pull out the jacket from him and then suddenly a group of boys came together towards my father, trying to snatch the wallet back from it. I was totally terrified by all this and it became worse when they started to hit my father and brother. There was no one to help us, just when a black man came and pulled those guys back and informed the police. The tram stopped at the next station and police dragged all those guys from the tram. 

I never had such a terrifying experience before. It was terrifying not only because the wallet got snatched or they started to beat us. It was terrifying because nobody in that tram didn't actually care to help us, expect that kind black man. I used the word “black” not because I want to identify him by his skin color, but to question the criminal stereotype that all the African-Americans are subjected to. No offense to anyone, but in my case, all those guys who pick-pocketed us and who beat us mercilessly and others who stood around us and watched the show were all “white” in color. 

I was just 15 years old when this incident occurred, and honestly I had no idea about racism or such social issues. But as child this incident left a deep imprint on my mind and it still lies there. Calling African-Americans or “black” people dangerous and violent doesn't makes any sense to me, when those ‘white’ guys were actually dangerous and violent to us. 

It is simply not about being black or white here. I wrote this to just remind you that don't judge people, especially based on their skin, because you don't know who is gonna beat you and who is gonna help you.

And also, please make sure that you do not keep your wallets in your back pockets in Paris.